Written Answers Thursday 23 February 2006

Scottish Executive

Ambulance Service

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how many air ambulance flights originating in Orkney have been classified as "emergency" in each year since 1998.

Mr Andy Kerr: Between 1998 and 2003, the Scottish Ambulance Service categorised its air ambulance flights into four sections – emergency, very urgent, urgent and planned. The criteria for these four categories were:

  Emergency – 999 calls or doctors’ emergencies which require an aircraft to be activated as soon as possible.

  Very urgent – Time for air ambulance to be with patient up to six hours.

  Urgent – Time for air ambulance to be with patient up to nine hours.

  Planned – This category applied when ordering doctors considered it necessary, because of the patient’s medical condition, that he/she was transported to hospital by air ambulance, but where it was not required to get the patient to hospital within the nine hour period. This category applied to most inter-hospital transfers.

  In January 2004, the categories were reduced to two – emergency and planned. The criteria for these two categories are:

  Emergency – Immediate threat to life or limb – a time factor can be agreed with the clinician ordering the air ambulance if they feel that is appropriate.

  Planned – For all cases where there is a time factor agreed with the clinician ordering the air ambulance.

  The following table shows the number of air ambulance flights from Orkney by case type in each calendar year since 1998.

  

 Year
 Emergency
 Very Urgent
 Urgent
 Planned
 Total


 1998
 76
 97
 70
 46
 289


 1999
 46
 73
 72
 34
 225


 2000
 59
 97
 92
 49
 297


 2001
 62
 83
 69
 38
 252


 2002
 85
 99
 92
 70
 346


 2003
 114
 71
 71
 191
 447


 2004
 101
 -
 -
 276
 377


 2005
 30
 -
 -
 310
 340



  Of the 30 missions categorised as emergencies, 27 had a timescale which had been agreed with the requesting clinician. The ambulance service met the timescale in all but one of those cases – a performance of 96% against a target of 95%.

  There have been fluctuations in the number of calls classified as "emergency" in the past eight years and over the last year the ambulance service has been trying to ensure that the definitions for ordering air ambulance services - across the whole of Scotland - are followed more consistently. A new guidance leaflet describing the ordering process is due to be issued to clinicians shortly.

Ambulance Service

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will publish the terms of any agreement or protocol between the Scottish Ambulance Service and the (a) Ministry of Defence or (b) Maritime and Coastguard Agency in respect of the use of helicopters to supplement the aircraft and helicopter resources of the Scottish Ambulance Service.

Mr Andy Kerr: There is a protocol between the Scottish Ambulance Service and the Ministry of Defence (MoD) for tasking MoD to carry out air ambulance missions. The MoD decides on the most appropriate response, one of which may be the deployment of the Coastguard. This is an operational matter for the ambulance service and MoD and it would be for those organisations to consider whether or not the protocol is published.

Blood Transfusion Service

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has learned any lessons from the fact that NHS Scotland has not implemented the Council of Europe Recommendation No. R (83) 8 on the prevention of possible transmission of AIDS to patients receiving blood or blood products.

Mr Andy Kerr: Council of Europe recommendation R (83) 8 makes a number of recommendations in relation to AIDS. The recommendations dealt with the use of coagulation factor products prepared from large plasma pools; informing patients and recipients of the risks of blood products, and providing blood donors with information. Policy in Scotland in relation to blood products fully reflected these principles and recommendations. The risks of large plasma pools were recognised and appropriate warnings were provided on products. Clear warnings were also provided to blood donors by Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) in 1983, specifically in relation to AIDS.

  An earlier Council of Europe Recommendation No. R (80) 5, concerning blood products for the treatment of haemophiliacs, was discussed with Scottish Haemophilia Directors and Directors of The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service at a meeting organised by the Scottish Health Department in 1981, at which it was agreed that "policy and practice in Scotland were consistent with this document, subject to further consideration of the recommendation on the setting up of a haemophilia register". It is believed that policy and practice in Scotland were also consistent with the subsequent Recommendation No. R (83) 8 concerning AIDS.

British Sign Language

Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether, in light of the recent pilot scheme for sign video relay service (SIGNVRS) technology launched in London whereby a small device attached to a videophone can enable deaf people to make phone calls using British Sign Language, it will consider launching such a pilot scheme in Glasgow.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is committed to linguistic access for Deaf people in Scotland and has noted the development of the SIGNVRS scheme.

  We have no plans at present to launch such a pilot scheme in Scotland. However, we are aware of the interest in the use of sign video relay technology and will explore with our BSL and Linguistic Access Working Group how we might learn from this development.

Business Rates

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it will take in order to meet its commitment to halve the gap between the Scottish and English non-domestic rate poundage from 1 April 2006.

Mr Tom McCabe: From 1 April 2006 we are making an estimated £90 million available to meet our commitment to reduce the existing poundage gap by half. We have committed to close the gap fully in April 2007.

  The Scottish non-domestic rate poundage for 2006-07 will be 44.9p. In 2005-06, the Scottish poundage rate was 46.1p and the English poundage rate was 41.5p. This is a difference of 4.6p. In 2006-07 the Scottish poundage rate will be 44.9p and the English poundage rate will be 42.6p. This is a difference of 2.3p, which is half of 4.6p.

Central Heating Programme

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has for continuing the central heating programme for pensioners.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have already made it clear that I plan to continue the central heating programme for pensioners beyond 2006. Further details will be announced shortly.

DNA Samples

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how the intellectual property rights are assigned in respect of DNA sequences in samples collected by the police in Scotland.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive understands that there are no intellectual property rights relating to DNA sequences in samples collected by the police in Scotland. Intellectual property rights are associated with the techniques used to process the samples when generating DNA profiles.

Drug Misuse

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average waiting times are for drug detoxification services, broken down by NHS board.

Hugh Henry: Average waiting times are not regarded as a particularly effective measure of the availability and efficiency of drug services. Rather, the information compiled by drug action teams and submitted to Information Services Division specifies the number of people who wait for less than a week, less than two weeks and so forth, for different types of intervention. Table 1 presents information on the length of time waited, by drug action team area, for (a) clients who have received drug intervention, which includes detoxification and (b) clients who are still waiting for prescribed drug intervention for the period July to September 2005, the most recent period for which comprehensive data is available.

  Table 1a: Prescribed Drug Treatment – Number of Clients Seen, July to September 2005

  

Time WaitedDrug Action Team
<7 Days
 8-14 Days
 15-21 Days
 22-28 Days
 5-8 Weeks
 9-12 Weeks
 13-26 Weeks
 27-52 Weeks
 52+ Weeks
 Total


 Aberdeen City
 0
 4
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 3
 8


 Aberdeenshire
 28
 9
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 38


 Angus
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Argyll and Clyde
 53
 17
 0
 2
 1
 2
 2
 0
 0
 77


 Ayrshire and Arran
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Borders
 3
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Dumfries and Galloway
 9
 3
 1
 2
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 15


 Dundee City
 13
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 14


 East Lothian
 21
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0
 0
 22


 Edinburgh City
 31
 2
 0
 1
 4
 0
 0
 0
 0
 38


 Fife
 13
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 13


 Forth Valley
 5
 1
 0
 2
 11
 0
 0
 0
 1
 20


 Glasgow
 94
 17
 14
 1
 7
 0
 1
 1
 1
 136


 Highland
 5
 2
 0
 2
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 9


 Lanarkshire
 7
 3
 1
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0
 12


 Midlothian
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 0


 Moray
 10
 2
 3
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 15


 Orkney
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Perth/Kinross
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1


 Shetland
 3
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 3


 West Lothian
 9
 1
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 11


 Western Isles
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Scotland
 305
 62
 21
 11
 24
 2
 4
 1
 5
 435



  Table 1b: Prescribed Drug Treatment – Number of Clients Waiting at end of Quarter, July to September 2005

  

Time Waited Drug Action Team
<7 Days
8-14 Days
 15-21 Days
 22-28 Days
 5-8 Weeks
9-12 Weeks
13-26 Weeks
27-52 Weeks
52+ Weeks
 Total


 Aberdeen City
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0
 2
 4
 6
 3
 16


 Aberdeenshire
 0
 0
 0
 0
 4
 0
 1
 0
 0
 5


 Angus
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Argyll and Clyde
 2
 1
 3
 1
 7
 6
 21
 15
 20
 76


 Ayrshire and Arran
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Borders
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Dumfries and Galloway
 2
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 19
 0
 22


 Dundee City
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 1
 0
 0
 1
 3


 East Lothian
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 0
 2
 3


 Edinburgh City
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 1
 11
 10
 22


 Fife
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 3
 4
 7


 Forth Valley
 3
 3
 3
 4
 9
 6
 43
 47
 45
 163


 Glasgow
 3
 6
 2
 3
 10
 5
 24
 25
 11
 89


 Highland
 1
 2
 1
 0
 4
 0
 23
 27
 31
 89


 Lanarkshire
 0
 1
 0
 0
 0
 0
 5
 8
 3
 17


 Midlothian
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 0


 Moray
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Orkney
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 Perth/Kinross
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 2
 0
 0
 2


 Shetland
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0
 0


 West Lothian
 1
 0
 1
 0
 2
 3
 2
 9
 0
 18


 Western Isles
 0
 1
 0
 1
 1
 1
 1
 0
 0
 5


 Scotland
 13
 14
 10
 9
 38
 24
 129
 170
 130
 537



  Notes:

  1. Prescribed drug treatment includes detoxification, maintenance or reduction programmes, and is defined as the prescribing of a substitute drug, (e.g. methadone, lofexidine, subutex) for facilitating the complete cessation of the use of illicit drugs, controlling withdrawal symptoms or reducing illicit drug use. GP prescriptions are not included in this data.

  2. The waiting time is measured from the date a decision is made regarding what is the appropriate treatment for the client to the first date offered for beginning the treatment.

Drug Misuse

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what assistance is provided to registered cocaine users.

Hugh Henry: There is no register of cocaine users in Scotland. Information provided by drug action teams through corporate action plans for 2005-06 shows that there are 30 facilities across Scotland which target psychostimulant users.

Drug Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many hospital admissions associated with heroin use there were in each year since 1999, broken down by age and NHS board, and provided in table form.

Hugh Henry: Information showing hospital discharges with a diagnosis of disorders due to misuse of opioids, broken down by age and NHS board has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib number 38883).

  It is not possible to provide data linked specifically to heroin use.

Drug Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many crack cocaine users currently receive community-based treatment.

Hugh Henry: The Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD) collects information on problem drug users at the point of their coming into contact with drug treatment services. In the financial year 2004-05, the number of clients who accessed services (including community based treatment) and reported use of crack cocaine was 348. Of these, 48 people reported that crack cocaine was their main drug of use.

  Detailed information is published in the ISD Scotland publication Drug Misuse in Scotland 2005 which is available on the National Drug Misuse website.

  http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/05dmss/05dmss.htm.

Drug Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people have successfully completed a drug treatment programme in each of the last five years.

Hugh Henry: The information requested is not held centrally.

  The expanded Scottish Drug Misuse Database will, in time, provide information on the total number of people receiving treatment, the type of treatment they are receiving and the number of people successfully completing treatment.

Drug Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many drug users have participated in drug treatment programmes in each of the last five years.

Hugh Henry: The Scottish Drug Misuse Database (SDMD) collects information on problem drug users at the point of their coming into contact with drug treatment services. The information from the SDMD is provided in the following table.

  New Individual Patients/Clients Reported1: 2000-01 –to 2004-05

  

 Number of Individuals


 2000-01r
 2001-02r
 2002-03r
 2003-04r
 2004-05r


 10,581
 11,685
 11,718
 13,086
 14,332



  Source: Scottish Drug Misuse Database. Age group analysis1,2: year ending 31 March 2005

  Source: http://www.drugmisuse.isdscotland.org/publications/05dmss/05dmss-011.htm.

  Notes:

  1 All figures in this table exclude penal establishment inmates and information received from needle exchanges.

  rRevised.

Drug Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many places providing treatment for abusers of drugs were available in each of the last five years.

Hugh Henry: Information provided by drug action teams through corporate action plans shows the services providing treatment for drug misusers in each of the years for which figures are available. Services are often offered to people with problems with drugs or alcohol or both and it is not always possible to separate the different treatment pathways. The following figures include services treating only drug misusers and those providing treatment for both drug and alcohol problems.

  

 Year
 Non-Residential Services
 Residential Services


 2001-02
 214
 22


 2002-03
 211
 28


 2003-04
 238
 29


 2004-05
 308
 33

Drug Misuse

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its employees are involved in delivering treatment for the abuse of drugs.

Hugh Henry: Scottish Executive employees are not directly involved in treatment delivery. Alcohol and drug action teams (ADATs) are responsible for the planning and delivery of the full range of local substance misuse services in line with both identified need and local and national priorities.

Drug Misuse

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what proportion of the monetary value of the assets confiscated from drug dealers in Scotland under the Proceeds of Crime Act (2002) was redistributed to communities and community projects in 2003-04 and 2004-05.

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much of the funding redistributed from the confiscated assets of drug dealers under the Proceeds of Crime Act (2002) was allocated to projects in Dumfries and Galloway in 2003-04 and 2004-05.

Hugh Henry: None of the Scottish Recovered Assets Fund was reinvested in community projects in 2003-04 and 2004-05. The funding available in 2003-04 and 2004-05 was used for a national campaign in early 2005 to encourage communities to report drug dealers to the police through the Crimestoppers Scotland confidential helpline.

Energy

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for the delay in publishing volumes 3 to 5 of its report on energy generation commissioned from AEA Technology and when these volumes will be published.

Allan Wilson: Forward energy demand projections contained in the remainder of the study require updated economic data, which has only recently become available to our consultants. Volumes 3 to 5 should be published later this year.

Environment

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-20459 by Rhona Brankin on 17 November 2005, whether it will provide an update on the consultation concerning the proposed 300% rise in the cost of sheep dip disposal registration and what representations it has made to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency in respect of this matter.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s consultation on the Water Environment (Controlled Activities) Fees and Charges (Scotland) Scheme 2006 closed at the end of December 2005. The Executive is currently considering all responses to the consultation, including those concerning the disposal of spent sheep dip and a decision on the final charging scheme will be made shortly.

External Relations

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to increase Scottish representation abroad, other than through Foreign and Commonwealth office establishments.

Mr Tom McCabe: Scotland is represented overseas through the Scottish Affairs Offices in Washington DC, Brussels and Beijing. We are also represented by as many as 484 British embassies, high commissions, consulates and honorary consulates overseas. We have no current plans to open any further offices, although we will consider opportunities to do so where this could be of value.

  Scottish Development International (SDI) is currently completing the worldwide expansion of staff announced in March 2005. This involves the appointment of 32 additional representatives across SDI’s 20 existing bases and in the new locations of New York, Toronto and Bangalore. SDI will continue to explore opportunities to extend overseas representation on an effective and cost-effective basis. A pilot project is currently under development to establish shared SDI representation in Estonia, and full details will be announced as soon as arrangements are confirmed.

External Relations

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it has been approached by Quebec and/or Catalonia with a view to joining their network of shared representative offices overseas and, if so, whether the Executive will join that network.

Mr Tom McCabe: Scottish Development International (SDI) has discussed the proposal for a trade promotion co-operation initiative with the International Cooperation office of Catalonia. The idea is at an early stage and it is not clear at this point that the industries and regions involved will be a sufficiently good match for Scottish interests to make this the best use of the limited resources available for Scotland’s overseas trade promotion. However, SDI will stay in contact with the organisers to see whether a good case emerges to become an active member of the initiative.

Firearms

Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to reduce the risk from airguns.

Cathy Jamieson: We all know that airguns in the wrong hands can result in tragic consequences. That is why I have worked closely with UK Ministers to bring in a wide range of measures to strengthen the law, including a new offence of possessing an air weapon in a public place without reasonable cause and banning the import and sale of certain weapons.

  Later this year the age for owning an air weapon will increase to 18 years; purchase will be restricted to outlets run by Registered Firearms Dealers only and a new offence of indiscriminate and reckless firing of an airgun from private premises will be created.

Fuel Prices

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Her Majesty’s Government in respect of providing a long-term solution to any on-going competitive disadvantage associated with high fuel prices in rural areas.

Tavish Scott: The cost of fuel is a matter reserved to the UK Government. However, Scottish ministers have regular dialogue with Treasury Ministers and will continue to ensure that the Scottish interest on this issue is fully understood by the UK Government. Ministers last met in January.

Fuel Prices

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what dates the Fuel Poverty Forum has met since its inception.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Fuel Poverty Forum met on 24 February 2003, 17 June 2003, 17 September 2003, 16 December 2003, 30 March 2004, 15 June 2004, 15 September 2004, 7 July 2005 and 4 October 2005.

Fuel Prices

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive when it has met, and what discussions it has had with, the Fuel Poverty Forum regarding fuel price rises.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive Fuel Poverty Forum meets quarterly to work collectively towards delivering the Scottish Executive fuel poverty target. Fuel prices are reserved to the UK Government and as such have not constituted a formal agenda item. However, the forum regularly discusses what can be done to protect those most vulnerable to price increases.

Hepatitis C

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many women have received Anti-D immunoglobulin that has carried risk of infection with blood-borne viruses.

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive over what period there was a risk of contracting blood-borne viruses from Anti-D immunoglobulin and when it became free from blood-borne viruses.

Mr Andy Kerr: All blood products carry a risk of infection from blood-borne viruses, however small. It is estimated that about 200,000 women in Scotland will have been treated with anti-D immunoglobulin since its introduction in 1968. Anti-D immunoglobulin, which is administered to women who are rhesus D negative, is generally considered safe from blood-borne viruses when prepared by a method recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO). The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) has always prepared anti-D immunoglobulin in accordance with WHO advice and its product has therefore always been considered safe from transmission of blood-born viruses. The SNBTS have confirmed there have been no cases of blood-borne virus transmission by anti-D, and there has been no evidence of any hepatitis C transmission.

Hepatitis C

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make renewed contact with all women who are at risk of having contracted blood-borne viruses from Anti-D immunoglobulin.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive is not aware of any evidence which suggests that women in Scotland have contracted blood-borne viruses from anti-D immunoglobulin. It is, therefore, not necessary to make contact with women who have received this product.

Hepatitis C

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will ensure that everyone who received a blood transfusion before 1991, when there was a higher risk of transmitting the hepatitis C virus, will be traced and given an opportunity to receive viral screening and health checks.

Mr Andy Kerr: Following the introduction of testing in 1991, considerable work was carried out to trace any links between blood donors infected with hepatitis C and patients who had received infected blood. A look back exercise was undertaken by UK blood services from 1995 and completed in 1997.

  The look back exercise was based on tracing the past donations of blood donors found to be infected with hepatitis C. Where this was the case, a thorough search of records was carried out with the aim of identifying recipients of the blood and offering them counselling and testing for the virus.

  Where currently SNBTS is informed of any patient who is discovered to be infected with hepatitis C - and transfusion may have been the route of infection - a full investigation is carried out.

  Where returning blood donors from pre-1991 test positive for hepatitis C, or where patients present with hepatitis C infection which may be linked to blood transfusion, Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) will investigate thoroughly the background and circumstances to these cases and will initiate look back procedures so that any patients potentially affected can be offered counselling and testing.

Hepatitis C

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what explanation it has for any delays by previous governments in implementing an agreed compensation scheme for people participating in clinical trials of blood products, such as factor VIII.

Mr Andy Kerr: The involvement of patients in clinical trials took place around the introduction of the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) heat-treated Factor VIII product in 1987. Papers already released include correspondence in relation to eligibility for compensation for patients taking part in clinical trials. Although there were concerns expressed by clinicians about compensation arrangements, these issues were resolved and did not delay the introduction of a heat-treated Factor VIII product which was safe in terms of the transmission of hepatitis C.

Hepatitis C

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether ministers have read and directly reviewed all the papers and evidence from primary sources in their consideration and judgement on the need for an independent public inquiry into the infection of patients contracting hepatitis C from contaminated blood products.

Mr Andy Kerr: Ministers have fully considered all the relevant information and issues.

Hepatitis C

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many documents it has not released into the public domain in respect of the need for an independent public inquiry into the infection of patients contracting hepatitis C from contaminated blood products; why these documents have been withheld, and whether it will review its decision to withhold these documents.

Mr Andy Kerr: This was the subject of a Freedom of Information Review request from the member. A copy of this response has been placed in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38917).

Hepatitis C

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to its written submission to the Health Committee as part of its consideration of the case for an inquiry into infection with hepatitis C as a result of NHS treatment, which lessons it and previous governments considered were necessary to be learned and which lessons were learned.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Scottish Executive, and previous governments, have consistently remained open to learning any lessons which would improve donor and patient safety. Current procedures demonstrate that lessons have been learned.

  Where returning blood donors from pre-1991 test positive for hepatitis C, or where patients present with hepatitis C infection which may be linked to blood transfusion, Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) investigates thoroughly the background and circumstances and initiates look back procedures so that patients potentially affected can be offered counselling and testing. This allows SNBTS to trace archived specimens of blood from the original donations which can be tested and, if it is confirmed that those were the cause of the hepatitis C transmission, the patient’s doctor is informed. Other donations from the implicated donor are then traced, tested and any positive results found lead to a search for the recipient of those positive donations so that those individuals can be informed. Since the introduction of testing for hepatitis C, traceability is closely monitored.

  During the period 1998-2004, SNBTS investigated 32 potential transfusion-transmitted infections related to hepatitis C and the results indicted that the number of cases arising from blood transfusions before 1991 is very small. SNBTS therefore have effective arrangements in place for tracing donors and recipients where there is a suspected link between hepatitis C and blood transfusions.

  The NHS is committed to becoming a better learning organisation, to using experiences and views of patients and staff to learn and build a culture of continuous quality improvement. A key element of this is developing a patient-centred approach which involves the sharing of information and decisions about treatment with patients in line with best professional practice. We are also aware that GMC guidance issued in October 1997 addresses the issues raised.

Home Computer Initative

Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it has taken to monitor the implementation of the Home Computer Initiative, including gathering feedback on customer satisfaction, the type and extent of any problems experienced by employees and compensation awarded in light of these problems, and whether this feedback will be taken into account in future when awarding preferred supplier status.

George Lyon: The member has raised a number of issues in her question and I will provide a written response to address these in full, which I will also place in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre.

  Meantime, however, I can advise that the Scottish Executive is actively monitoring the implementation of the Home Computer Initiative Framework through meetings with each of the three suppliers and through feedback from participating public authorities.

Housing

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is in respect of the Scottish Borders Housing Association’s statement that it is seeking £4 million from Scottish Borders Council to address the association’s financial deficit and the impact of such action on Scottish Borders Council’s reserves and its council tax payers.

Malcolm Chisholm: Claims under the indemnities contained in the sale and purchase agreement are primarily a matter between Scottish Borders Council and Scottish Borders Housing Association. It would be inappropriate for the Executive to comment on any action currently being taken by the association.

Housing

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it believes that any attempt by Scottish Borders Housing Association to recover the deficit resulting from its stock transfer agreement in March 2003 with Scottish Borders Council will undermine public confidence in housing stock transfers.

Malcolm Chisholm: As previously stated, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on the detail of the claim currently being pursued by Scottish Borders Housing Association. However, I do not believe that it will undermine public confidence in the stock transfer process. It is clear that across Scotland transfers to community ownership are now delivering substantial new housing investment, rent guarantees and much more say for tenants in the management of their homes and estates.

Housing

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what average price per house has been paid by housing associations for local authority properties in each year since the inception of the Scottish Borders Housing Association.

Malcolm Chisholm: There have been only two whole stock transfers in Scotland since the transfer of Scottish Borders Council’s stock to Scottish Borders Housing Association. The price paid for Dumfries and Galloway Council’s housing stock was an average of £2,767 per unit and the price paid for Glasgow City Council’s housing, before grant, was £310 per unit. A small number of partial transfers have taken place at nil price mainly because of the high element of demolition and new build involved in these estate based regeneration projects.

Housing

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the average price of £3,061 per house paid by Scottish Borders Housing Association to Scottish Borders Council as part of the stock transfer programme in 2003 represented value for money.

Malcolm Chisholm: The valuation prepared by the independent valour sought to achieve a price which delivered fair value to the public purse and which would enable the purchaser to prepare a fundable business plan. On this basis, the Executive was satisfied that the purchase price of £23.3 million represented value for money.

Housing

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what contractual conditions are in place with regard to writing off the housing debt of housing associations.

Malcolm Chisholm: There are no contractual arrangements in place with regard to writing off the housing debt of housing associations.

Housing

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it can review the underwriting of a £38 million residual loan debt in respect of former Scottish Borders Council houses in the event that Scottish Borders Housing Association attempts to recover the deficit resulting from its stock transfer agreement in March 2003.

Malcolm Chisholm: Treasury has undertaken to provide funding to redeem residual housing debt remaining with a council on the transfer of its housing to community ownership. In the case of Scottish Borders Council, Treasury met this commitment in March 2003 when the council received £80.6 million to redeem its residual debt and associated breakage costs.

  Any borrowings currently held by Scottish Borders Housing Association are a matter for the association.

Housing

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether funding supplied to local authorities for private sector housing grants under the Care and Repair Scheme is ring-fenced.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Funding supplied for Care and Repair schemes through the Private Sector Housing Grant Scheme is currently ring-fenced.

Housing

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority has received from the Executive for private sector housing grants under the Care and Repair Scheme in each of the last three years.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  In the current year approx £2.335 million Care and Repair funding has been provided to local authorities through Private Sector Housing Grant (PSHG). Prior to this year, Care and Repair funding was provided to Local Authorities as part of the Affordable Housing Investment Programme (AHIP). This is summarised in the following table:

  Communities Scotland’s Care and Repair Contribution

  

 Council
 2003-04 Spend AHIP
 2004-05 Spend AHIP
 2005-06 Allocation PSHG


 Aberdeen City
£77,451.00
£85,000.00
£83,000.00


 Aberdeenshire
£48,879.00
£80,000.00
£105,000.00


 Angus
£81,000.00
£87,000.00
£88,000.00


 Argyll and Bute
£85,446.90
£105,000.00
£110,000.00


 Clackmannanshire
£39,798.00
£43,000.00
£57,225.00


 Dumfries and Galloway
£91,473.00
£110,000.00
£125,000.00


 Dundee City
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00


 East Ayrshire
£20,558.00
£28,000.00
£43,000.00


 East Dunbartonshire
£0.00
£29,000.00
£48,000.00


 East Lothian
£75,476.50
£80,000.00
£93,000.00


 East Renfrewshire
£0.00
£0.00
£30,000.00


 Edinburgh, City of
£90,190.38
£75,000.00
£128,000.00


 Eilean Siar
£130,000.00
£135,000.00
£147,000.00


 Falkirk
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00


 Fife
£56,214.00
£74,000.00
£81,223.00


 Glasgow City
£53,349.00
£62,000.00
£134,250.00


 Highland
£179,880.00
£189,000.00
£226,259.00


 Inverclyde
£35,914.00
£58,000.00
£64,300.00


 Midlothian
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00


 Moray
£21,996.00
£27,000.00
£26,558.00


 North Ayrshire
£75,125.00
£87,000.00
£95,650.00


 North Lanarkshire
£72,707.00
£135,000.00
£126,000.00


 Orkney Islands
£48,996.00
£54,000.00
£51,450.00


 Perth and Kinross
£54,319.50
£95,000.00
£99,000.00


 Renfrewshire
£56,157.00
£58,000.00
£38,000.00


 Scottish Borders
£3,430.53
£0.00
£33,461.00


 Shetland Islands
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00


 South Ayrshire
£29,160.00
£41,000.00
£55,000.00


 South Lanarkshire
£118,885.00
£168,000.00
£183,000.00


 Stirling
£0.00
£0.00
£0.00


 West Dunbartonshire
£78,881.00
£0.00
£0.00


 West Lothian
£37,558.00
£43,000.00
£63,689.50


 Total
£1,662,844.81
£1,948,000.00
£2,335,065.50

Housing

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what budget each local authority will receive from the Executive for private sector housing grants under the Care and Repair Scheme in this and the next financial year.

Malcolm Chisholm: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  In the current year approx £2.335 million Care and Repair funding has been provided to local authorities through Private Sector Housing Grant (PSHG). In 2006-07, £2.335 million will be provided through Private Sector Housing Grant.

  This is summarised in the following table:

  Community Scotland’s Care and Repair Contribution

  

 Council
 2005-06 Funding PSHG
 2006-07 Funding PSHG


 Aberdeen City
£83,000.00
£83,000.00


 Aberdeenshire
£105,000.00
£105,000.00


 Angus
£88,000.00
£88,000.00


 Argyll and Bute
£110,000.00
£110,000.00


 Clackmannanshire
£57,225.00
£57,225.00


 Dumfries and Galloway
£125,000.00
£125,000.00


 Dundee City
£0.00
£0.00


 East Ayrshire
£43,000.00
£43,000.00


 East Dunbartonshire
£48,000.00
£48,000.00


 East Lothian
£93,000.00
£93,000.00


 East Renfrewshire
£30,000.00
£30,000.00


 Edinburgh, City of
£128,000.00
£128,000.00


 Eilean Siar
£147,000.00
£147,000.00


 Falkirk
£0.00
£0.00


 Fife
£81,223.00
£81,223.00


 Glasgow City
£134,250.00
£134,250.00


 Highland
£226,259.00
£226,259.00


 Inverclyde
£64,300.00
£64,300.00


 Midlothian
£0.00
£0.00


 Moray
£26,558.00
£26,558.00


 North Ayrshire
£95,650.00
£95,650.00


 North Lanarkshire
£126,000.00
£126,000.00


 Orkney Islands
£51,450.00
£51,450.00


 Perth and Kinross
£99,000.00
£99,000.00


 Renfrewshire
£38,000.00
£38,000.00


 Scottish Borders
£33,461.00
£33,461.00


 Shetland Islands
£0.00
£0.00


 South Ayrshire
£55,000.00
£55,000.00


 South Lanarkshire
£183,000.00
£183,000.00


 Stirling
£0.00
£0.00


 West Dunbartonshire
£0.00
£0.00


 West Lothian
£63,689.50
£63,689.50


 Total
£2,335,065.50
£2,335,065.50

Justice

Mr Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has collected on the success of test purchasing of tobacco products by people aged under 16 in reducing illegal sales.

Colin Boyd QC: It is too early to judge the success of test purchasing in reducing illegal sales in Scotland as the new arrangements have not yet been rolled out across all local authority areas. However, the independent evaluation of the test purchasing pilots undertaken in South Ayrshire, Edinburgh, Stirling and Moray would suggest that test purchasing does act as a deterrent. A copy of the report is available on the Scottish Executive Website.

Justice

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what consideration is being given to establishing a process for the resolution of claims for negligence without the need to go to court.

Hugh Henry: We support and encourage the use of alternative methods of dispute resolution where appropriate. We have published guidance for the public on resolving disputes without going to court and we are providing support and funding for a range of mediation and advice services. The Scottish Executive Health Department launched a three year pilot in conjunction with NHS Scotland’s Central Legal Office in April 2005 to encourage settlement of clinical negligence disputes through the use of mediation as an alternative to litigation.

Livestock

Mr Jim Wallace (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what assessment it has made of the available capacity for shipping livestock from Orkney, in light of the decision by the Rural Payments Agency not to provide or support on-island facilities on Orkney for the processing of cattle under the Older Cattle Disposal Scheme.

Ross Finnie: We have been in discussions with NorthLink about the impact of the Rural Payments Agency decision not to award a contract to Orkney Islands Council for the Older Cattle Disposal Scheme. We have been advised by the company, following liaison by them with the industry in Orkney, that they would have no major difficulties with handling the anticipated additional cattle.

Local Government

Mr Jamie McGrigor (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Argyll and Bute Council following the publication of the Accounts Commission’s report, Argyll and Bute Council: The Audit of Best Value and Community Planning .

Mr George Lyon: The Minister for Finance and Public Service Reform wrote to the Council Leader, Allan Macaskill on 14 February following publication of the Best Value Audit of Argyll and Bute Council, encouraging him to work closely with the Improvement Service in addressing the Accounts Commission’s findings.

Pensions

Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the basis is for its position that classroom assistants, cleaners and janitors should not have the same pension rights and entitlements as teachers working in the same school.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Teachers’ Superannuation Scheme provides a specific pension scheme designed for the teaching profession. The Local Government Pension Scheme in Scotland provides a pension scheme for a variety of local government (and similar) employees where they are not entitled to be members of another statutory public service pension scheme. It is therefore common for employees working in the same establishment to belong to different public pension schemes.

Rail Network

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been agreed with Network Rail to fully double track the Bathgate to Edinburgh railway line, as announced by the Minister for Transport and Telecommunications in answer to question S2O-8958 on 9 February 2006.

George Lyon: As my colleague Tavish Scott made clear in this chamber on the 9 February, Transport Scotland are working on this with Network Rail. We are aiming to reach agreement of development by the end of March 2006 and to sign an implementation agreement by the end of 2006.

Rail Network

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive why the new 250-space car park at Croy railway station, announced by the Minister for Enterprise, Transport and Lifelong Learning on 21 March 2002 ( Official Report c. 10468) and included in Scotland’s Transport: Delivering Improvements , has not yet been built.

Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the answer to question S2W-22025 on 10 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Rail Services

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is acceptable that, in the last 12 months, 77.3% of First ScotRail trains achieved its target of trains arriving within five minutes of scheduled arrival time and what measures the Executive is putting in place to improve this service.

Tavish Scott: I refer the member to the question S2W-21788 answered on 10 February 2006. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Scottish Executive

Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the costs were of its central administration in each year since 1999.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information requested is given in the following Scottish Executive Accounts:

  Page 19 of the Scottish Executive Core Departments’ Resource Accounts for year ended 31 March 2000 published by The Stationery Office Limited in 2001, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 12591).

  Page 22 of the Scottish Executive Core Departments’ Resource Accounts for year ended 31 March 2001 published by the Scottish Executive in 2001, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 18347).

  Page 22 of the Scottish Executive Core Departments’ Resource Accounts for year ended 31 March 2002 published by the Scottish Executive in 2002, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 25810).

  Page 23 of the Scottish Executive Core Departments’ Resource Accounts for year ended 31 March 2003 published by the Scottish Executive in 2003, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 30395).

  Page 28 of the Scottish Executive Consolidated Resource Accounts for year ended 31 March 2004 published by the Scottish Executive in 2004, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 34776).

  Page 30 of the Scottish Executive Consolidated Resource Accounts for year ended 31 March 2005 published by the Scottish Executive in 2005, a copy of which is available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 38261).

Sport

Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what action it is taking to promote winter sports, following the Winter Olympics in Turin.

Patricia Ferguson: Individual governing bodies of sport are responsible for promoting their sport. I wish to take the opportunity to congratulate our Winter Olympians and in particular Sinead and John Kerr on their 10th place and our men’s curling team on reaching the final stages of the competition.

Sport

Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what support is given to local authorities to encourage and promote community use of sporting facilities in schools.

Robert Brown: In the School Estate Strategy which we published jointly with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities in 2003, the local authorities signalled a clear objective that the new school facilities would benefit local communities. It is very much for the authorities to address community needs, for sporting as for any other facilities, at the local level.

Sport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the proposed review of the Sport 21 programme should be carried out by a body independent of  sportscotland and the Scottish Sports Association.

Patricia Ferguson: No. The review of Sport 21 will build on the established vision for the development of Scottish sport but take into account the need to secure legacies from the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics and if successful, the 2014 Commonwealth Games. Therefore, it would be inappropriate for the review to exclude the key delivery partners.

Sport

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much it estimates that the proposed review of the Sport 21 programme will cost.

Patricia Ferguson: The review of Sport 21 will cost in the region of £30,000.

Tourism

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to assist Scottish skiing centres and whether it supports the measures which have been taken in the centres to diversify and provide other attractions and experiences for visitors throughout the year.

Patricia Ferguson: I certainly welcome positive approaches to diversification at ski centres. Our Enterprise Networks, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise, provide business development support relating to such diversification when there is a good business case for doing so. Support has been given to all five ski centres.

Tourism

Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has made to ski areas to encourage the development of ski communities.

Patricia Ferguson: The Executive, through the Enterprise Networks, VisitScotland and  sportscotland works with communities including those close to ski centres, to support their development.

  Assistance is tailored to local opportunities and can include activities such as; destination marketing, encouraging diversification, business networking and infrastructure investment – all of which contribute to the long-term development of the community.

Waste Management

Chris Ballance (South of Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding has been given to each local authority in the South of Scotland region to support recycling and waste minimisation.

Ross Finnie: The following table provides details of how much funding has been awarded to each local authority in the South of Scotland to support recycling, waste prevention and diversion of waste from landfill through the Strategic Waste Fund.

  

 Local Authority
Amount Awarded (£) 
2000-07-08
 Future Funding (£)
 Total Award (£)


 Dumfries and Galloway
 17,091,900
84,204,000 (to 2030) 
 101,295,900


 East Ayrshire
 6,379,771
8,884,000 (to 2020)
 15,263,771


 East Lothian
 5,835,871
13,743,000 (to 2020)
 19,578,871


 Scottish Borders
 12,110,596
4,753,226 (to 2009-10)
 16,863,822


 South Ayrshire
 7,514,407
12,488,000 (to 2020)
 20,002,407


 South Lanarkshire
 17,198,884
50,137,000 (to 2020)
 67,335,884



  Amounts awarded from 2008-09 onwards are indicative, and depend on the outcome of future spending reviews.

Wildlife

Mark Ballard (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for licences to disturb badger setts have been received since 2000; what the average time taken to process such applications was, and how long it took to process the application to disturb a badger sett on the route of the Dalkeith northern bypass.

Rhona Brankin: The Scottish Executive and Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) have separate responsibilities and powers under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992 for licensing the disturbance to badgers or their setts, determined by the nature of the works to be undertaken.

  Both organisations record the number of licences issued but not the number of applications received. Since 2000, the Scottish Executive and SNH have issued 175 and 76 such licences respectively. The time for consideration of individual licence applications varies depending on a range of factors including the circumstances and complexity of each case and no records of individual processing times are generally recorded.

  The licence to disturb a badger sett on the route of the Dalkeith northern bypass was issued by SNH, and I understand was issued within 24 hours from receipt of the application. As this is an operational matter for SNH, further information can be obtained from its Chief Executive.